Elderflower cordial - making and preserving (elderflower squash / syrup)

[@moniquem783]

Don’t use erythritol. It won’t stay in solution and will re-crystallise once it cools. Guess how I know that…😂

[@EnglishCountryLife]

That's an excellent tip! Thank you

[@moniquem783]

@@EnglishCountryLife you’re very welcome 😊 BTW, is there a video of that gooseberry vodka? That looks interesting.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@moniquem783 I haven't filmed it yet but its a simple recipe - I'll film it when they are ready.

[@haqnawazkhan4555]

i do not know what you have just created, but it watered my mouth.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Its just a lovely floral drink 🙂

[@haqnawazkhan4555]

@@EnglishCountryLife oh! lovely.

[@elizabethgardiner6681]

Tilly is thrilled with the recipe and the brilliant simple explanation .

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Excellent! The blossoms are just about perfect here 🙂

[@prodigygirl1]

I absolutely love the simplicity of these videos. Thank you. 🌸

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm a simple kind of guy. Thank you ☺️

[@Welshkiteflyer]

Excellent I'm out picking tomorrow. Cheers

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Enjoy 🥂

[@nickwilson5637]

Gooseberry.... So underrated and underused. It would be great to see more information, ideas and techniques in regard to gooseberries

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'll do some next year Nick but in the meantime, take a look at the best gooseberry jam in the world kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4GaZ6Zrbpl9p6s And also gooseberry fruit leather which is Fiona's favourite! kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2LRl3qOhdV7aJo

[@nickwilson5637]

Seen them both already, great little videos. Did you manage to give a stainless steel cigar cutter a try for top'n'tailin the gooseberries?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@nickwilson5637 I haven't yet, it was a rubbish year this year, but I will next year! We had a good rhubarb and excellent blueberry year this year so it all balances out

[@nickwilson5637]

Haskaps for me next (if I can find somewhere to grow them 😁)

[@mayhembeading3737]

I'm looking forward to the gooseberry adult juice recipe. Lol.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I've added it to the list 😁

[@andymelcarr2806]

Looking forward to gooseberry vodka, we use vodka for homemade extracts or just throw juniper berrys and a few herbs in it and make our own gin. It will also be nice to see a uk canning video even if it is only water bath canning.. Please keep the videos coming we have learnt alot from yourselves over the years! Many Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'll put the water bath canning video up on Friday 😉 We have an existing one on pressure canning if its of interest? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYXVgY2dbtyBa6s

[@Tr3asureHunt3r]

Thank you, I'm looking forward to a nice cool drink in Australia

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Excellent - are they flowering there soon?

[@SpinsterSister]

Excellent! I always thought cordial meant alcohol, tells you how it was used when growing up! Bet it makes excellent flavor in baked goods too. Love more videos on your gooseberry formulas too!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thank you. Over here "cordial" also known as "squash" is the standard soft drink of childhood & on hot days for adults. "Soda" is relatively modern but cordial has been around for centuries

[@zoeedwards2942]

Brilliant video. Been waiting for this one. Thanks for sharing your recipe, can't wait to give this a try.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Zoe - do let me know what you think of it? Hugh

[@jasonblack7503]

Lovely stuff, looking forward to making this.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Jason - do let us know what you think?

[@julschristey3406]

I’m on it thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Looks to be a good year for it!

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

Another delicious recipe Hugh - thank you! I’m guessing you could also top up that cocktail with Prosecco or similar, a bit like an Aperol spritz, so long as no one has to drive anywhere…😂 Look forward to the gooseberry vodka and water bath canning videos too. Oh, and our strawberry wine has worked a treat! Nearly ready to bottle but we had to have a sneaky sample…it’s beautiful to look at and delicious already. It’s going to be hard to leave it alone for a few months…😉 Enjoy that summer weather - it’s a tad chilly here!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It's a bit chilly here too for summer so where has the sun gone? 🤣🤣🤣 So glad the strawberry wine worked. It's one of our favourites

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

@@EnglishCountryLife I can see why…😉 Our only regret is not making more. Watch out next summer! In the mean time we’re thinking of trying to make a blackberry wine… Feels like a good winter project.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@geoffanddebshipton6797 It totally is - and one I intend to video asap

[@geoffanddebshipton6797]

@@EnglishCountryLife excellent!

[@paulkelly5974]

Absolutely love your channel, a wealth of information. Would it be possible to do a video on your Gooseberry Vodka?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Thanks Paul! I promise to get to it - Fiona nabbed all the gooseberries this year!

[@JosExotics]

ooh gooseberry vodka...yes please

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Will do!

[@kb2vca]

Elderflower cordial? Yes.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

🙂. It seems to be gaining popularity again which is nice

[@yLeprechaun]

Earned a subscription. Gooseberry vodka?! Yes please

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Welcome 🙂

[@ashm5206]

Great idea to add some ginger! I got my elderflower champagne made this week but I think I might make some cordial to try out the ginger. By the way I don’t know if I mentioned the parsnip wine, it turned out quite nice. I should have paid more attention to the temperature in the room for fermentation but that was my fault not the recipe!! Overall a great success thanks to your advice!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm glad you liked it Ash. I use heat pads now to keep the demijohns at an even temperature, it really helps!

[@ashm5206]

@@EnglishCountryLife actually I have a heated propagator and depending on what time of year it is there could be some space free to put a demijohn in! You’re a genius!!

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@ashm5206 You can get heat belts that strap round too. They aren't expensive. Like the propagater idea though

[@ashm5206]

@@EnglishCountryLife I’ll definitely try the propagator next time but if you keep sharing tempting home brews I may upgrade! 👍

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@ashm5206 I'll do my best 😉

[@amandaeastwood5475]

I would love to know if there's anything I can do with the flowers and fruit that's left after straining, a cake perhaps??

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Have you ever tried Elderflower fritters? Flash fried in tempura batter.

[@waimingmartin5520]

Thank you for your sharing. How to make the cordial with Stevia? How much Stevia should I put in? Many thanks.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

If you are going to use Stevia, its important to note that you will lose all the preservative properties of sugar so you will need to freeze the cordial. I would use the crystal form and keep tasting until I was happy. Note that cordial needs to be diluted before drinking. This is what I would try amzn.to/3xEA8y0 I haven't made a Stevia version myself but I see no reason why it wouldn't work 🙂

[@lynnmoss2127]

Lovely! I am looking for information regarding ornamental cultivars such as 'Black Lace', if they have the same medicinal values; I cannot find validation for this. Can you help?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'm sorry, I honestly don't know

[@Nicereview763]

Will sterilising the bottle and boiling the cordial and bottling it hot not be enough to be shelf stable? I've made mine, I do it almost the opposite way round but I suspect the result is much the same. It's completely delicious. I've used some oranges with the lemons this year as I didn't have enough.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

There's lots of methods. We can it if planning to keep it for a while kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5Oal6abbZd3oNU

[@ruthrussell5459]

Hi, love the videos. I tried this however my elderflower cordial is very jelly like. Could you advise, I'm not sure how to fix this. At the minute I am blending the cordial which helps dissolve it better. Great taste. Thanks

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Hi - try warming it and adding more water - it may be too concentrated

[@ruthrussell5459]

@@EnglishCountryLife thanks will do

[@JJR-373]

Great video, thank you. I don't have any clip top bottles, but do have a bottle capper and caps, would that work for long term storage please?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I can't think of a single reason why not Jenny - heat the bottles first and that should work brilliantly. Hugh

[@JJR-373]

@@EnglishCountryLife Thank you. I think I may just give it a go.

[@EnglishCountryLife]

@@JJR-373 Please let me know how it goes!

[@JJR-373]

@@EnglishCountryLife I will indeed.

[@kb2vca]

To make the cordial, you use 30 flowers To make elderflower wine, do you use about the same number of flowers?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

We have a video on making elderflower wine! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4CqZZuCaNJ_mLssi=2Oq5qi4t17s8yied

[@kb2vca]

@@EnglishCountryLife Yup but there your measurement is 500 ml , and here the measurement is 30 flowers. I tend to make my elderflower wine from dried leaves and I use 1 oz or 30 g /gallon (4 L) and I was wondering if when you make the cordial the quantity of flowers is significantly different.

[@allisong6]

How long will elderflower cordial last using the bottle method in fridge

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It should be fine for a month

[@johngerard3658]

Looking forward to trying this as well! Is this something you can enjoy neat or on the rocks as well?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Morning John! Traditionally just a splash of cordial in a tall glass diluted with water (I wouldn't drink it totally neat as its strong). I like it with ice & sparkling water. There's nothing harmful so you could try neat ! Hugh

[@roseamey370]

is the citric acid necessary and where do you get your supply from as there many different sorts

[@EnglishCountryLife]

It does need either citric acid or lemon juice. This is what we buy - it's good quality & cheaper than homebrew shops amzn.to/3WjE5b1

[@donnapemberton8100]

Hugh you could sell ice to eskimos.. 😂 I’m not an elderflower lover, my 9 year old son loves it, so we are going to make this together.. however watching this video I think I’m going to be converted.. yes please for a vid on the vodka 🐓🪵🌳

[@EnglishCountryLife]

I'll try to make it again this year Donna. Its a great drink, even just mixed with lemonade!

[@snowgoose8918]

Elderflower tastes wonderful

[@alyxlie8401]

I'm not allowed Citrus fruits, is there something else I could use instead?

[@EnglishCountryLife]

Is citric acid okay? If so I would just use that